Topics

Visiting Carson City for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

by
Carson City for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

By now you know that visiting Carson City, Nevada is a must-do and it is a pretty cool town. After three visits I can say that it’s one of my favorite places in the Southwestern USA. This is the complete scoop from a local, Lydia Bruegge from the tourism board, on what she loves about living in Carson City and what to expect throughout the seasons in the Reno-Tahoe area. Lydia shared with us where to play and what to expect for weather year-round (it’s not a desert!). And why to visit Carson City for Gay families.

Located in western Nevada, very close to the California border, Carson City is the state capital. It’s a small city / big town with about 55,000 residents.

Even though its elevation isn’t as high as Denver, if you live at sea level, you’ll feel the higher altitude when you set out on a hike. It’s wonderful and you can smell the freshness of the air being so high, but it’ll surprise you if you’re not expecting to be able to feel 4800′ of elevation.

Carson City is laid out in a very easy-to-get-around way, with the downtown being on a grid and the surrounding areas easily accessible via boulevard or freeway. At about 157 square miles, it’s a good sized place. Highways 395 and 50 make it easy to get to the more rural or mountainous areas, such as the shores of Lake Tahoe, while I-580 connects Carson City to Reno.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Nevada Gay Travel Resources

Top 5 Thailand Gay Islands – The Nomadic Boys

by
Top 5 Thailand Gay Islands - The Nomadic Boys

With over 1400 islands to visit in the Land of Smiles, we say the Thai’s the limit when it comes to your Thailand vacation!

Thailand offers everything that us gay boys want when we venture out into the world. There are beaches packed to the brim with speedo-clad hotties, cultural ventures lurking around every corner, a terrific gay scene in Bangkok, and most important of all, genuinely kind citizens who greet every visitor with a warm welcome.

And that’s just the mainland! Believe it or not, the Thailand gay islands are somehow even more perfect because each one is incredibly unique. Whether you’re hoping to find a spot to get back in touch with nature, to explore the party animal within you, or to enjoy a romantic getaway with your sweet, sugar love, there is bound to be at least one island that suits your exact needs. Even if you’re looking to stay within a strictly queer environment, we promise that there’s an island out there for you. This is our comprehensive guide to the best Thailand gay islands so that you can achieve your vacay nirvana. Be sure to also read alongside our detailed gay guide to Thailand.

Side note: ‘koh’ means “island” in Thai, so most islands will have Koh or Ko written before its name.

Thailand Gay Islands: Koh Phuket

Ah, Phabulous Phuket… Where to even begin? There are hardly the words for this vast, beautiful destination. Perhaps the best way to describe it is by declaring it the largest and most famous of the Thailand gay islands!

Unlike other islands, Phuket has an officially designated gay area known as the Paradise Complex where gay businesses flood the streets. Whether you’re hopping into Zag Club, which is an energetic club most renowned for its outstanding dance music, or visiting the Boat Bar, which is our personal favorite for its eclectic crowd and classic pop music, it will be easy to see just how much this neighborhood thrives on its nightlife. Honestly, even without setting foot into a single establishment within the Paradise Complex, the gay scene of Phuket spills outside every evening when exotic dancers strut their stuff up and down the pedestrian roads.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral – Keep Calm and Wander

by
Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral - Keep Calm and Wander

St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague looked so familiar to me the first time I laid my eyes on its massive Gothic structure. I was pretty sure I’d seen it somewhere but I had a hard time remembering it. 

Standing and staring outside its facade, I really tried hard to remember where in the world I saw this cathedral before. Then it hit me – it looks like it’s the smaller version of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. Both are impressive and great examples of Gothic architecture with historical importance.

This beautiful church is inside the complex of Prague Palace, the world’s largest palace complex. Inside, you won’t just find breathtaking arches, flying buttresses, and scary gargoyles but also tombs of royals and saints of Bohemia.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Unforgettable Days in Gay Tahoe – 2TravelDads

by
Unforgettable Days in Gay Tahoe - 2TravelDads

Reno and Lake Tahoe have so many more things to do than casinos and skiing. I’ve created an ideal itinerary for enjoying all kinds of outdoor adventures, history, and great food all around Carson City and the Lake. Many people consider Lake Tahoe for vacations, but there is a whole world just a few miles from the lake that is perfect for families or solo adventurers alike. Use this itinerary as a gay Tahoe / Reno travel / trip planner to build the sort of vacation YOU want.

This four day itinerary will give you a nice mix of culture, nature and Nevada’s historic mining past. With time in Nevada’s State Capitol, Carson City, and in the mountains surrounding the Eagle Valley, all the way to Lake Tahoe’s shores, this travel plan will keep you busy and allow for plenty of down time to relax and enjoy the area. You’ll find many things to do between Reno and Tahoe!

4 Days in Gay Tahoe /Reno Itinerary

As you arrive in the Reno-Tahoe airport or general area, you’ll most likely fly into Reno (RNO) or be driving from the San Francisco Bay Area. Either way, you’ll do some quick sightseeing in downtown Reno, driving under the Reno Arch and checking out the facades of some of the famous vintage casinos. But then you head south and start your awesome vacation.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Tahoe Gay Travel Resources

Gay China, A Local Perspective – The Nomadic Boys

by
Gay China - Nomadic Boys

China has the potential to be the gayest nation on our planet. Think about it: a country with a population of 1.5 billion people. That’s a billion! You do the maths, how many gays does that work out to…?

Today, the country is slowly emerging from an oppressive Communist rule under which homosexuality was criminalized and seen as a mental illness. It wasn’t until 1997 when it was legalized and then subsequently declassified as a mental illness in 2001.

Historically it wasn’t always like this. Homosexuality in ancient China appears to have been widely accepted well before the 1800s. For example, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) literature (like the Bian Er Chai – 弁而釵/弁而钗) portrays homosexual relationships as being positive, and writings from the Liu Song Dynasty (420–479 AD) allege that homosexuality was an everyday common thing!

The fabulous LGBTQ folk we met during our travels as a couple in gay China were confident of progressive change – albeit very slowly. During our trip in Xi’an we met the awesome Cass Chen who sat us down and gave us this interview about his experience growing up gay in China.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay China Travel Resources

Pura Lempuyang Indonesian Temple – Keep Calm and Wander

by
Pura Lempuyang Indonesian Temple - Keep Calm and Wander

Pura Lempuyang (or Lempuyang Temple) is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Bali. It is also one of the oldest and holiest Hindu temples worth going to when traveling to this tropical island.

This sacred temple is two hours drive away from Canggu. The picturesque ride on your way up there is one to be enjoyed with such delight.

Visiting Lempuyang Temple during the pandemic has its good and bad side. There were only very few people (close to none) when we were there. On the other hand, not every temple was open.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Indonesia Gay Travel Resources

Indonesia’s Floating Temple – Keep Calm and Wander

by
Indonesia's Floating Temple - Keep Calm and Wander

Indonesia’s Floating Temple

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in Bedugul, in the highlands of Bali, gains its monicker as Indonesia’s Floating Temple as it is on the edge of Lake Beratan. However, the structure is not literally floating on the lake. It depends on where you stand, the temple, at a far distance, looks like it is buoyed up. 

On the day I visited it, the water was so low that it didn’t really look like I expected it to be. It was disappointing to me because I already knew how/where I want my photos taken. Backdropped with a gorgeous mountain, the complex reveals its beauty on a sunny day. As it is on the highlands, the weather changes from time to time.

I was lucky that on the day I visited it, the sun cooperated. But as soon as I was done, a thick cloud revealed, and rain came.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Indonesia Gay Travel Resources

Finding Gay China – The Nomadic Boys

by
Gay China - The Nomadic Boys

Picking out the best vacation destination is a challenge, which is why we’re here to give you a simple word of advice: don’t be sleeping on the Sleeping Giant!

It seems a common misconception that China only represents oppression and a loss of freedom. We definitely understand concerns from the LGBTQ community regarding discrimination, but allow us to assure you that most Chinese citizens are respectful, kind, and almost too eager to receive visitors from all walks of life. Welcome to gay China!

As one of the world’s first civilizations, there has been more than enough time for specific Chinese cultures to steep like an exquisite cup of tea. Seemingly every region of China offers its own distinctive cuisine, architectural wonders, and natural sights. The country provides boundless opportunities for exciting travel from the countless pagodas and temples to the towering mountains and shining bodies of water. And that’s not even mentioning the gay bars, clubs, and saunas that can be found in some of gay China’s more progressive cities.

As daunting a task vacation planning can be, just follow our comprehensive guide to gay travel in China, and you will surely leave the country with a smile on your face.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay China Travel Resources

Checking Out Rome Gay Bars – The Globetrotter Guys

by
Rome Gay Bars - Apple Maps

Searching for Rome gay bars? There are a few small bars in Rome along Via di S Gionvanni in Laterano (next to the Colosseum). If you are looking for larger venues, then it’s more often the case that you will find a gay club night hosted at a club (rather than that club being an official gay club).

Rome Gay Bars: Coming Out Bar

We visited Coming Out bar during Roma Pride and found that it was a great option to hang out during the day for drinks and food. The food menu stood out with Paninis categorised into ‘Jock’, ‘Wolf’, ‘Daddy’, ‘Twink’ and so on. This put a smile on our face. Of course, there are plenty of pasta and pizza options on offer as well. For drinks, this place is incredibly reasonable for Rome (this city is expensive!).

Drinks range from €5 for an Aperol Spritz, a must have, to €6 for standard cocktails and €8 for something a bit more fancy. In comparison, head into the posh tourist bars and you are looking at €10-20 for an Aperol Spritz.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Rome Gay Travel Resources

Visit Tempe for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

by
TeTempe for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

It’s rare that just one of us dads gets to escape for a trip with just one of the kids. It happened though!! It really did! Oliver (our oldest) and I (Rob) got to take an adventure down to Tempe, Arizona and it was the perfect bonding trip that we needed. This central AZ town was the ideal spot for us with nonstop outdoors and kid-focused activities. Tempe for gay families = best idea ever. Tempe engaged us to go explore and share our experience and huzzah we loved it!

It might seem strange to go to a small city,, but it’s actually smart travel. When you hit up a spot like San Francisco or Miami you’re going to be faced with lots of skyscrapers and fancy food. Tempe with kids fit us just right for keeping things mellow and fun (and still great food). Check it out!

Tempe for Gay Families

A lot of people fly through Phoenix (PHX) for work or as a general travel hub, and if you’ve got a long layover or want to add an easy adventure to a work trip, This Phoenix suburb is super easy for that. Located about fifteen minutes east of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport you are really close to whatever else you’ve got planned.